


The End of All Things

by moonrunes



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: M/M, an overabundance of "remembered", is this what u call a character study?, this entire thing is told in retrospect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2020-12-24 08:55:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 13,900
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21096782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonrunes/pseuds/moonrunes
Summary: Krakoa's a good place to remember everything that's brought him here. Roberto da Costa takes a moment to reflect.





	1. The End

Krakoa was a good a place to remember as any.

The room Roberto da Costa had chosen looked out on a valley, often filled with people no matter the time of day, and to him, it was the strangest mix of familiar and foreign.

Krakoa felt like the world’s largest reunion party (partially good and partially bad), faces he hadn’t seen in years all together again. It should have been perfect, and yet- and yet- it remained strange to him, if only because of the noticeable absence by his side. 

He leaned on the railing and looked out at the lights of Krakoa. Living memory survived in the very structure of the island, flowing just below the surface, and so Roberto allowed himself the moment, this walk down memory lane as he thought of Sam and missed him. 

It had never been a fall, not like so many stories were. 

Never a fall, but a gradual descent.


	2. Step Down

If a gradual descent it was, the first step must’ve been a doozy.

Roberto could still remember the burning, starting behind his sternum and moving through his skeleton, leaving only ash behind. Acid, burning him away, little by little. He’d been half dead by the time X-Force had come, and still, miraculously, he remembered it (not necessarily what they shouted, but most everything else). He remembered it burned where Sam touched him, scooping him up and making for the ceiling, which gave way to clear sky and bright sun. Even through the pain, he remembered what he’d said.

“I’m not gonna just leave you alone to die, Bobby!”

He’d never done anything to deserve that kind of loyalty, he remembered thinking, even as his world turned white, then to black as they fell together, Sam holding on tighter before impact shook his teeth in his skull. 

His shield protected Roberto from the fall and most of the impact, he’d later learned, but at the time, he’d been certain he was dead. He drifted on the edge of unconsciousness and heard Sam rip his gloves off and feel for his pulse, his hands warm and alive against Roberto’s neck.

Roberto remembered he suddenly felt cold when Sam’s hand disappeared.

In retrospect, it seemed that the rescue had been the first and steepest step down a very long flight of stairs, at least for the rescued. Even when he came to, he had a hard time getting it all out of his head (though Roberto remembered he’d assumed at the time that it was mostly the near brush with death instead of the rescue).

He looked back and almost laughed at that thought, the idea that it was a near-death experience that kept him awake at night, when he’d survived weirder beforehand.


	3. X-Forced

For as long as X-Force was together, he’d felt like he was slipping down that flight of stairs. 

Hunting Externals, running through training, searching for Cable -- like they were possessed with a sudden need to grow up and become soldiers for this cause, and yet his inexplicable urge to stay around Sam hung in the back of his mind like an itch. Denial got him as far as Tabby before he realized it felt off, like he’d been jealous of her instead of Sam, but even so, he tried to shove it to the back of his mind.

Sam left.

Sam came back.

Sam left again.

Sam came back again.

Roberto wished he could say sorry but it had never come easy to him, and in the middle of the debates Reignfire came back, laughing at his internal struggle and threatening to pull the curtains back before Roberto came back to himself, throwing his evil alter-ego (wow, how many people could say they had those?) to the curb and curling around his secret in his mind, fearful of discovery.

And then.


	4. The Call

The deportation order.

It’d shocked him when it had come in -- one, that they knew where to find him and two, that it had come at all. Seems he’d spent so long trying to save the world that he’d forgotten that he wasn’t a citizen of all of it.

He’d never gotten to say goodbye to anyone except Domino.

In Rio, it was easier to forget and deny, surround himself with the things his father had used to replace his son’s love, tell himself that it was over. Forget and deny, forget and deny, and it had even worked for a little while before the call came again.

X-Corp LA beckoned, and once again, he and Sam ended up in the same city at the same time.

He’d walked through the door, all smiles and welcomes, and Roberto had felt like he was drowning again.

After all was said and done (galas and mutations and Rachel Summers), they’d talked, just the two of them sitting on the roof of Gambit and Rogue’s house, watching the others mess around on the beach.

“So, you and Lila again?” he remembered himself saying.

He remembered how the fading light had bounced off his smile and his eyes when Sam laughed. “Nah. I’m just helping her out with a few things.”

“Oh, so are you friends with benefits or are you her roadie?”

He’d laughed harder at that one, shoving Roberto and looking back towards the bay, thinking about his reply before he said it. “Nah. Neither. I just -- I realized a bit ago that when we were a thing, it just -- it wasn’t good, y’know?”

“Mhm.”

“And so I’m helping her with her bad stuff and she’s helping with mine and -- don’t look at me like that, Bobby.”

“Like what?”

“You know. Us, as a couple -- it’s over, for real. I swear.”

“Hmm.”

“What? You planning on asking her to one of your galas?” He’d slapped Roberto’s shoulder playfully and for a half second, Roberto remembered that Sam was his best friend, that they once told each other everything, and for just a second the future stood on the edge of a knife as Roberto wondered if he should tell Sam everything. 

The da Costa family was good at masks. Roberto summoned his and smirked. 

“Ehh. D’you think she’d prefer a gala or dinner?”


	5. M

New York asked for them and again, they answered the call.

A stop in Kentucky, to pick up a few more Guthrie kids (Melody with her infectious smile, Jeb with his half-baked master plans, Jay curled in the corner with his guitar), and then, it was like coming home.

Roberto remembered working in the Hellfire Club, long hours marshalling the elite to shape the world, late nights and too-early mornings. 

And then…

M-Day.

Jay.

Sam stayed stalwart for his mother, for his siblings, for Melody and Jeb who lost their powers -- for the New Mutants, for Dani. He was every inch the X-Man, shedding photogenic tears and forever helping in the camps Scott had set up outside for the remaining mutants of the world.

Roberto almost caught himself believing it.

Almost.

They’d been given rooms in the mansion until further notice, Roberto remembered. He also remembered that the X-Men had posted a guard, that the light from the O*N*E* Sentinels made criss-cross patterns on the floor, but it had been so very easy to sneak from his room to Sam’s.

Of course, Sam was still awake, sitting at his desk chair and staring blankly at the shadows on the wall, starting when Roberto touched his shoulder.

“I-oh. Hey, Bobby. You need something?”

“Depends.” Roberto remembered sitting down carefully on the neatly made bed, watching Sam as he turned off the desk lamp and came to sit by him. “I actually came by to see if you needed anything.”

Sam had shrugged noncommittally, eyes unfocusing again. “I’ll be fine. You should get some sleep, though, Roberto-”

“Sam.”

Now he turned and made eye contact, exhaustion in his eyes as he ran a hand through his hair. “‘Berto, c’mon. I know that you know that I’m not fine, but I’m alive and I have my powers but Dani doesn’t have hers and the bus was bombed and my baby brother-”

Then, the breaking point. He seemed to fold into himself, grief shrinking him, and suddenly they were children again, grieving a teammate that never should’ve died, that they should have saved. Roberto scooted closer and hugged him, drawing him in until they were both only half-sitting on the bed, Sam crying into Roberto’s shoulder and rocking back and forth, the ugly side of losing someone.

Roberto remembered that moment, though it still brought tears to his eyes -- he remembered that, late that night, that he’d started crying too, after Sam had tried to push it down again, when Roberto had asked Sam about Jay.

The stories only an older brother could tell kept them both up far later than advisable but despite the stiffness in his back after a night sleeping on the couch in Sam’s room (and the gentle chiding they both received after sleeping in well past noon), Sam seemed to feel better.

Or perhaps he just got better at hiding it.


	6. Time Skips

The Young X-Men seemed, to Roberto, a blip on the radar -- unimportant in the grand scheme of things, even though he’d be the first to admit that he cared about those kids, for better or for worse. 

They called it Utopia, and they said it was good.

And yet, Hellfire came for them still. 

Doug.

It was like seeing a ghost if a ghost could hit you. It was like all the worries and fears and thoughts about what went wrong had come back to sucker-punch him in the gut, bringing him to his knees. The final blow was struck and too-suddenly, Doug was back on the team.

(Secretly, Roberto wondered what dying felt like.)

Roberto tried not to think too hard about Limbo, even now, but it weighed on his mind -- the things he’d done, the things his team had done, the things they hadn’t, all in the name of staying alive. The implications, the experiences, the red dripping from his hands and choking him at night until he woke up with his heart pounding, facing no enemies from a blank wall.

Utopia.

The weird little apartment that felt too normal, too nice, too good for them. Too empty without half the team (but mostly Sam, he’d finally admitted to himself).

Sam had left in the night, quietly, wishing Roberto a good night and giving no indications that he’d be anywhere but there the next morning, and Roberto wished he could hate Sam for it. 

Dani’d said he’d gone to get therapy, but the selfish monster in Roberto’s head (the part that was entirely too much like his father for his own comfort) reared its head at that and hissed, wondering why Sam couldn’t stay and get therapy here, or why Sam couldn’t tell him that himself. 

The team disbanded. 

The Phoenix.

He remembered terror when it wore Emma’s face, when it told them to bow, but Sam was at his side again and so he breathed a little easier, wondering if they wouldn’t get out of this just as they had every other time Sam had come back. 

The Phoenix burned and went out, and Roberto decided he was done.


	7. Staring at the Sun

Finally.

Scott was gone, the X-Men were divided, if the rumors were to be believed (and they usually were; Roberto was careful about where he got his rumors from), and somehow, Roberto found himself on an empty beach with Sam again, staring at the setting sun. 

Retired, he’d said, and Sam had practically jumped at it. It kept them both away from the conflicts within the X-Men, kept them both safe, and so Roberto tried to tell himself that it was enough.

“You okay, Bobby?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you okay?” Sam rolled over, studying Roberto with those careful eyes of his (today, they were the color of the sea that rolled in a few feet from where they’d lain down). “Something about you…”

“What?” It came out harsher than he intended and he winced, turning back towards the sky. “Sorry. I just-”

“Nah, it’s fine. I was just gonna say you’re acting weird. Just wanted to make sure you’re okay.”

“Oh. I’m, uh-”

All the things he could say ran through his mind, fueled by the sun as ever, and again, he heard the tinny voice in the back of his mind, the one that told him to tell Sam.

_But what if he reacts badly?_ he argued internally, staring at the waves. _What if, what if, what if..._

“Roberto. Y’know you can tell me anything.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“I. Um.”

“Is it a girl?”

The question juxtaposed against Roberto’s internal concerns were enough to make him snort with laughter, even as he raised his glass to his lips. “No, no. Not...quite.”

“Hmm. A guy, then?”

Roberto choked on his drink and Sam slapped him on the back, sand falling from his hand down Roberto’s spine. “Hey. I’m not gonna judge you. Hell, I didn’t realize Rictor had a crush on me in X-Force ‘til he told me, not too long ago. Felt really bad about it, but he told me it was all fine, ‘specially since Star’s since caught his eye, no pun intended.”

“Oh.” Roberto felt a stirring of jealousy in his chest at the mention of Rictor and Shatterstar -- not for Rictor’s crush (for that, he nearly laughed at the similarity) but that Rictor and Shatterstar had apparently skipped the awkward phase and jumped directly into the relationship part. “Uh. Maybe?”

“C’mon.” Sam smiled at him and Roberto felt his heart jump again. “You can tell me.”

“You.”

“Hmm?”

The dam had been open, and Roberto’s mouth showed no signs of stopping, despite the frantic signals firing in his brain. “It’s you. It’s always been you. I-I tried to push it away but it always came back -- you always came back. For me, I mean. And this. It always came back. And I don’t want to put you on the spot ‘cause this is a little out-of-the-blue but my God, Sam. It was only ever you.”

Tirade over. Roberto squeezed his eyes shut, fireworks behind his eyelids, hearing everything Sam didn’t say. It seemed like the silence stretched out for years, longer than he’d kept everything safe in the vault in his brain, and for a half second he thought of apologizing, laughing it off.

“Roberto.”

Roberto pretended like he wasn’t listening and he heard Sam chuckle, heard the sand shift.

“C’mon. Roberto, open your eyes, please.”

Something blocked the sun, the red behind his eyelids turning black, and Roberto opened his eyes to see Sam, silhouetted by the sun, and as his eyes adjusted, he realized Sam was smiling.

Sitting up put them far closer than Roberto thought, so he leaned back on his hands, though Sam was still _right there_. “Hi…?”

Sam shook his head, still smiling. “Hey. How long have you been carrying this around?”

Roberto forgot everything in the heartbeat it took him to roll his eyes, exasperation shouting over everything else in his brain. “Were you not _listening_? Since -- God, I don’t know -- X-Force? When you and the others came to get me. When you said you wouldn’t leave me.”

“Hmm.” Sam leaned forward more, planting his hands on either side of Roberto’s legs, close enough that Roberto could see the twisting patterns in the iris of his eyes. “Wonder how much time we’ve wasted.”

“What?”

He laughed again and Roberto thought dizzily that he might never get tired of hearing it. “I said I wonder how much time we’ve wasted, on account of the fact that I’ve loved you for at least as long as that.”

“You _what_?” Roberto surged forward, nose-to-nose with Sam and nearly throwing sand into his eyes. “Sorry, but I-_what_?”

“‘S true. Had a whole little crisis about it too til my momma told me that she loved me for everything I was.” He smiled when Roberto shook sand off his hands to gently cup his face, though Roberto was pretty sure his hands were shaking. “Kinda wishin’ I opened up about it sooner now, though.”

“Yeah.” Roberto felt stubble on Sam’s face and distantly wondered if he was asleep. “Yeah, I-I wish you had too. Or I had.”

“Hmm.” Sam leaned into his hands. “Well, no time like the present, don’t you think?”

“Oh, I agree.”

He laughed, even as Roberto pulled him closer, just enough to meet his lips.


	8. Assembly

“Yes, sir, I understand. Thank you, sir. I’ll let you know.”

Roberto remembered frowning at the sun, ignoring the chatter of the other people on the beach, hiding behind tinted sunglasses as the _beep_ of Sam’s phone signaled the end of the call. 

One week.

One week of believing that it was too good to last, one week of retirement before the call came again, it seemed. Like the X-Men couldn’t _possibly_ do without their bodies to throw at Purifiers or whatever.

“Hey, Bobby, you’re not going to believe who that was on the phone.”

Roberto remembered rolling his eyes, pushing another drink into his hands. “Here. Drinky.”

“Seriously. You’re not going to believe who called.”

“Huh?” 

“First it was Wolverine, and then-”

“Stop right there.” All the old fears about dying and watching their teammates and family die came rushing back to his mind, heightened by this new and unfamiliar space Sam occupied in his mind, and he groaned. “Tell the man _no thank you_! Tell him we’re sick of superheroing. Retirement, remember?”

He remembered pulling his sunglasses down just enough to look at Sam over the rims. “Permanent vacation, Sam. We’ve earned it.”

Sam nodded. “Right. But Wolverine put Steve Rogers on the phone -- _Captain America_ wants us to be Avengers.”

“Didn’t we beat the Avengers once?”

“Yeah, but that was a while ago. Plus, if they’re asking us, they must wanna beef up the team.”

“Huh. I’m in if you are.”

Sam turned to him, raising an eyebrow (how he did it, Roberto still didn’t know -- clearly, it was some secondary mutation all Guthries had). “I thought you just said-”

“Well, that was the X-Men, Sam. This -- this is different.”

He nodded slowly. “Give up the circle X of mutantdom-”

“Hated and feared.”

“Take up the circle A of the Avengers.”

“Loved. Adored, even.”

Sam laughed then, he remembered, tapping his glass against Roberto’s. “An excellent point. Hope none of them hold grudges for that beatdown.”

“We’ll be right where we’re supposed to be -- Bobby and Sam, in the spotlight. You and I were made for bigger things, Sam.”

Roberto still believed that they’d been made for better, but as he recalled, the main Avengers squad was not where they found it.

It was distinctly different than the X-Men, and Roberto remembered he missed it at first -- the bickering and the casual hugs and the feeling of family and home that the Avengers lacked. They said they functioned as a team, and yet, as Sam said, it felt like someone had thrown a bunch of broken glass pieces into a frame and called it a mirror.

He’d credited the saying to his mother and Roberto had quietly marked down another point for Mrs. Guthrie being the person with the most sense in the world.

AIM Island knocked them out, taking their teammate, and Roberto remembered exactly how terrified he’d been when Dani’d gotten jumped on the way home from town -- except Isabel Kane wasn’t Dani, she was just another cog in the great working machine of the Avengers. 

He’d woken with a start, staring at the white ceiling for a few seconds before remembering what happened. The adrenaline spiked again when he remembered that Sam had been with him when they’d been captured, culminating in a panicky few seconds before he realized that Sam was sleeping soundly in the bed next to him.

Some AIM rep came in when Sam woke up, explaining it all away as an unfortunate accident but when he left, Roberto had known that Sam was thinking the same thing as him -- they were prisoners. A fantastic prison, with cool movies and banana bread waffles, but a prison nonetheless. 

“I’m guessing we ought to stay a bit away from each other,” Sam had muttered a bit after the AIM rep left, and Roberto nodded, careful of the cameras. 

“Yeah. Probably for the better.”

Everything got a little fuzzy between then and whatever happened next -- like a sinkhole in the memory lane, the road beginning again on the SHIELD helicarrier. He remembered speedwalking away from Maria Hill (God, but she scared him a bit), and whispering to Sam, “What just happened?”

Sam had shrugged. “Dunno. But it feels bad. Wrong, almost.”

The truth came out -- several times. Illuminati and secret societies and whatever else lay below the functioning facade of the Avengers, but with Sam by his side, he felt like he could do anything.

“You bought AIM?”

“Yeah. Pretty decent group of people once we got rid of the management-” 

“Bobby. What are you planning?” Roberto remembered clearly that Sam had looked up from his phone, from where his siblings texted him, staring at him with concern. “How long has it been since you’ve slept?”

“Like, seven hours, and before you ask, no, I’m not drunk.” Roberto remembered spinning once in the chair before brushing imaginary lint off his pants and standing up to go. “I’m off to Rio to coordinate it all. Coming or staying?”

“Staying. One of Gambit’s old friends is calling everyone to New York to prep for...well, whatever’s about to happen.” Sam had stood up at that, coming to stand before Roberto, gently taking his hands. “What’s after Rio?”

“Savage Land, probably. Got a few ideas that need poking.” 

“Okay. You stay safe, hmm?” 

Roberto remembered leaning into Sam, breathing deeply and twining their fingers together. “Only if you stay safe, too.”

Rio, the Savage Land, and then back at New York. The white came closer and closer and nothing they did seemed to stop it. 

He let the AIM agents leave on the morning of the final day, when the other world loomed in their sky. Go, he'd said. Be with your families, be with your friends. Go get a drink. See you tomorrow, if there is one.

From where Roberto stood on the deck of the empty helicarrier, it felt as if he was an ant, and someone was coming to step on him. It was enough to make any cynic start believing in a God.

Sam landed with a thump, Paige in tow, neither of them looking around before Sam came to him, holding both of them close as the white loomed overhead.

"Listen, Paige," he'd choked out, "you wait for me on the other side, you hear? You and Jay, don't you get into trouble without me-"

"I know. We won't." Paige was crying into Sam's jacket, her uniform's arm hanging in shreds and showing where she'd husked to titanium. "Promise."

"I know you won't." Sam was crying too, Roberto remembered, even as he hugged Roberto tighter, bending slightly until his mouth was right by Roberto’s ear. 

“I love you.”

The world ended in a flash of white, and Roberto was lost.


	9. Alive Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up -- I got really tired of writing "remembered" and "had" so there's a bit of a perspective shift. Also, I'm obsessed with the bad writing of New Avengers (2015) and USAvengers so I rewrote the entire damn thing.

The world ended, and the world began again. 

The sun rose again and Roberto remembered wondering if he was dead before he sat up, fumbling for his phone, and realized that the world had started up again sometime in the middle of the night, as if something had taken him from the roof where he’d watched the end and put him back in his apartment. 

He remembered sitting in bed for a few seconds, head full of the probabilities and possibilities of the world ending, before the door opened and Sam came in. 

He raised an eyebrow at Roberto, too casual for the situation. “You’re up earlier than usual.”

Roberto, on his end, gave Sam a disgruntled look. “Were we all mass-possessed by a telepath?”

“Don’t think so.”

“Stuck in an illusion?”

“Nope.”

“Trapped in an alternate dimension?”

“Probably not.”

“Then the world really did end?”

“Seems like it.”

“Why was your first instinct, waking up the morning after the world ended, to go for a jog?”

Sam shrugged, sweat shining on his forehead. “Habit?”

He attempted to hug Roberto and Roberto squirmed away. “Hey! You’re sweaty and gross -- go take a shower!”

Sam pulled away and frowned at him. "I figure we're pretty even on the smell level, Mr. Morning Breath. One kiss is all I ask and then I'll shower, I swear."

“Fine. But only because it’s you.” 

“Hmm.” 

True to his word, Sam pulled away too quickly (rolling his eyes good-naturedly when Roberto whined at him) and headed for the bathroom. In his absence, Roberto shifted to lean against the headboard, scrolling aimlessly through his phone with the sound of the shower in the background. Every headline he saw was about the world restarting with the exception of one, one lone reporter telling the world that Reed and Sue Richards had apparently sacrificed themselves to restart the world, as they were nowhere to be found.

Upon informing Sam of this fact, he’d frowned, running a hand through his hair. “I’ll give Ben and Johnny my condolences.”

“Mmm.” Roberto shot a glance towards the bathroom. “Hey, Sam.”

“Yeah?” 

“Remember that bit with the Inhuman Terrigen bomb? Not too long ago, I don’t think-”

Sam turned and frowned at him, though the intended effect was lost in the shaving cream. “What are you thinking?”

“Such suspicion.” Roberto gave him a teasing smile, though Sam’s suspicion didn’t fade. “It’s fine, I wasn’t thinking of giving myself M-Pox or anything like that, don’t worry.”

“But?”

“....but, it might prove useful in the long term.”

Sam splashed water on his face and gave Roberto a suspicious glare. “Not actually giving yourself M-Pox, I hope-”

“Probably not.”

“-but making everyone believe that you contracted it while we ran with the main Avengers squad?”

“And setting myself up to be underestimated.” Roberto smiled winningly at Sam. “Thoughts?”

Sam came and sat down next to him on the bed, thinking. “It’s gonna take a lot, Bobby. You won’t be able to be on a field team, you’ll need falsified evidence, third-party verification -- better acting, too-”

“Hey! I’m a perfectly good actor!”

“You’ll need to be better.” Sam squinted at him. “How’s your fake cough?”

“...not as good as it could be,” Roberto admitted. “But I was hoping Hank could cook something up for me on that front.”

“Completely off the books, as if you’re visiting him to get a diagnosis.”

“Exactly.”

Sam mulled it over. “That could work, assuming two things -- one, no one is listening right now.”

“Nah. Right now, I think everyone’s too caught up in being _alive_.”

“And two, what I said about the field team.”

“Well, that’s why I have you.” Roberto could feel himself gravitating towards Sam, the way he always had, but this time he was welcomed, Sam looping an arm around him and pulling him close without having to think about it, lost in thought as he was.

“That might work,” he said slowly. “Thought about who you want on the team, yet?”

“Sort of. No clear ideas yet, though.”

“Hmm.” Sam shifted and kissed Roberto’s forehead gently, thinking. “This might actually work, lover. Just crazy enough to work.”


	10. Avengers Ideas

“So. The options.”

“Love to hear what you’re planning, exactly.”

“Mhm. So, every team has the specialist, right? Magic, heavy-hitters, flyers, stuff like that. So I want to cover as many bases as I can.”

“Who are the candidates?”

Roberto shuffled his files theatrically. “One, for the science. Dr. Max Brashear is the son of the Blue Marvel and a gifted scientist in his own right, from what I hear. Word is that he’s kind of out of a job.”

“Why? If he’s as smart or smarter than his old man, shouldn’t someone else have snatched him up already?” Sam studied the photo in the first file critically and Roberto coughed. 

“Well. He had a brief career as a super-villain. Called himself Doctor Positron.”

“Nice name.”

“I know, right? The other scientist is also a legacy, a Dr. Toni Ho. Daughter of Ho Yinsen, the guy who saved Tony Stark.”

“He didn’t name his kid after him, right?”

“Nah. I think she was, like, eleven years old when he died.”

“Good that he didn’t name his daughter after Stark. But I’m sorry to hear that he died when she was so young. Looks like she’s done really well for herself, though.”

“Yeah. Three doctorates isn’t anything to sneeze at.” Roberto tapped the photo inside the file with a grin. “Plus, I think her hair’s cool.”

Sam snorted. “Cool hair ain’t a prerequisite for this squad, I thought. Who’s next?”

“The magic. You’ve heard of the Young Avengers, right?”

“I think so.”

“Wiccan is supposedly the most powerful reality warper in the world, the son of the Scarlet Witch. I was thinking him and the White Tiger, for a bit of that ‘old god’ flavor.”

Sam stared thoughtfully at the Instagram picture of Wiccan. “That might backfire, Bobby -- both of them. Pretty sure I heard something about the White Tiger going briefly insane when she was under Luke Cage. And, I mean, Wanda’s not the most stable person in the world...”

“Oh, I know. That’s why I’m bringing in their respective boyfriends -- Hulkling and Power Man, respectively, who also fulfill a lot of the heavy physical hitter requirements, coincidentally. Hulkling’s all about the history, given he’s half-Kree and half-Skrull, and so is Power Man. He works with chi or something?”

“Chi?”

“Yeah.” Roberto frowned at the file. “No idea what it is, honestly, but I’m 90% it’s history. Think I should reclassify him as ‘magic?’”

“Nah, I think he’s good where he’s at. You’re hoping that Hulkling and Power Man will be able to, what, act as a suppressant for the two magic users?”

Roberto shrugged. “Not a suppressant so much as a voice of reason, someone they’ll listen to. Or at least someone who knows what’s going on so science can take over.”

“Hmm. Anyone else?”

“Well, SHIELD is absolutely going to send an agent to infiltrate us, so I’m hoping they send Hawkeye -- the one from the Young Avengers. Either her or someone low-ranking enough to, y’know, just sit there and let it blow over.”

“You trying to collect the whole set?”

“They were an exceptionally powerful group of kids, Sam. A lot like us.”

“Alright. But I saw Loki on that Instagram pic, so as long as you’re not gonna add him...” Sam leafed through through the files. “Songbird?”

“Thunderbolts. Reformed super villain. She’ll be team leader.”

The raised eyebrow look. “I thought that was me.”

“Sort of.” Roberto grimaced. “So, I never really got why superhero teams have only one base -- that’s kinda like painting a target on one specific location, you know? -- so I was gonna use AIM Island as our main and the Savage Land as the other.”

“And you want me out of the game.” It wasn’t a question. “Out until, what? Phase 6?”

“Not that far in the plan, love.” Roberto laughed awkwardly and covered Sam’s hand with his. “I’m gonna be playing this by ear for a bit -- all I need to pull this off is your trust. Please?”

A beat and then Sam sighed. “‘S hard to say no to you, y’know that?”

“I do know that, thank you, but I want you to say yes because you want to, not because I’m stunningly handsome and you love me.” Roberto reached for his other hand and after a moment of hesitation, Sam gave it to him, smiling. 

“I’m saying yes because I want to _and_ because I love you, Roberto.”

“You forgot the stunningly handsome part.”

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t push your luck. Songbird’s team leader -- who else?”

“Someone unbeatable.” Roberto let go of one of Sam’s hands and pushed the last two files towards him, snickering when Sam’s eyebrows (both of them this time) raised in disbelief.

“No.”

“Yes. She’s beaten Dr. Doom _and_ Thanos. She’s like Wolverine on crack. I love it.”

“And...Pod?”

“Yup. Pretty much unbeatable planetary weapon -- and I know you’re gonna say that we fought them earlier-”

“Yeah, and they wiped the floor with us.”

“-but I think Pod was just confused, is all.” Roberto looked at his team files with a grin. “There are others I want, of course -- I was thinking Spectrum might be good to have, but she’s way too high-grade for this kinda stuff, you know.”

“No other mutants, though? Besides Wiccan?”

“Well…”

This one wasn’t in a file. No records of their past, no neatly typed explanation of their powers, just an old picture in a frame and a knowing smile.

Sam laughed. “That’s one hell of an ace to have up your sleeve.”

“That was the idea.” The smile they shared was one of mutual understanding, camadiere, love, and Roberto thought to himself that he never would have traded it for anything else.


	11. The Mechanics of Avengers

Some heroes were easier to find than others.

Sam Wilson, at least, was on friendly terms with them -- he greeted them with a friendly “what’s up?” and pointed them in the right direction to find the White Tiger and Power Man.

“Pro tip, though, they’re not together anymore,” Wilson had said. “I don’t know what happened -- you know, I try to stay out of messy teen drama stuff like that -- but as far as I know, they’re still okay with working together.”

“That’s good enough for me.”

Wiccan and Hulkling were almost the same. Roberto called Loki, reminded them of their out of control tabletop game, and Loki told Roberto where to find the aforementioned Wiccan and Hulkling. The goodbye Loki had given them sent shivers down Roberto’s spine (“Seek them if you dare, Sunspot, but I’d warn you to sleep with one eye open!”) but still, he found and recruited them both.

AIM found Pod and Pod assured Roberto that “everything was cool,” so he took it as a yes.

Brashear and Ho both jumped at the opportunity, and when pressed both cited AIM as the driving force, and for just a second Roberto looked in a mirror, the children living in their father’s shadows, but he shook it off just as quickly as it had come. 

It had taken a bit of bribery on his part, but after enough wheedling, Kitty begrudgingly gave him Songbird’s email and he arranged a meetup at a local bar -- just enough people there that they wouldn’t be overheard, and cliente discreet enough that it probably wouldn’t get out. 

“This has a hell of a lot of twists,” she’d said, drumming her fingers on the table. “You sure you can pull it off?”

“I can with the right team.”

“Everyone says that.”

Roberto grinned at that. “Not everyone can do it like me. Are you in or are you out, Ms. Gold?”

Songbird hummed, just enough to resonate with her shot glass and leave it buzzing even after she stopped. “I’m guessing this isn’t all the information.”

“You’re absolutely correct.”

“And what makes you think you can _trust_ me? I’m a Thunderbolt -- which isn’t exactly the most trusted name ever, if you know what I’m saying.”

“I do, don’t worry.” Roberto stood up with a grunt and smirked at her. “But speaking as a former internationally wanted mutant terrorist, I think I can trust you with at least a little bit. And even if you do decide to switch sides, I have a contingency plan for that.”

“_Internationally_ wanted?” She raised her eyebrows, even as she downed the rest of her shot and left it on the table, walking out with Roberto. “Do I want to know?”

“It makes a few good party stories, but before I tell them, I have to know whether or not you’re in.”

She thought about it for five seconds, the amount of time it took for them to get to the street outside. “I’m in. Thanks for the opportunity, Mr. da Costa.”

Roberto remembered waving a hand nonchalantly. “Thank you for the acceptance, Ms. Gold. And you can call me Roberto.”

“Only if you call me Melissa.” 

“Deal.” 

They shook hands and she walked away, quickly disappearing in the fading light. Roberto hopped in the waiting car and the driver pulled away from the curb, safe behind tinted windows.

“How’d it go?” Sam asked, scowling at the pedestrians jaywalking in front of them.

“Very well, all things considered,” Roberto answered, settling in the passenger’s seat and reaching for Sam’s hand. “She’s in. Eight down, one to go. Know where to find Squirrel Girl?”

“Guess we could ask a squirrel.”

Roberto laughed and felt Sam squeeze his hand. “Guess we could do that.”

~~~

The situation in Paris had him worried for a second, but Mandy came through and all was well until the team returned. Dugan was off consulting/interrogating a few of his head scientists and Hawkeye was getting settled in and his team was back safely -- and that was the most important thing.

“Warning.”

“Hmm? What is it, Pod?” Roberto kept his voice down, though they were across the hangar from where the debrief team was giving them the rest of the info and checking for injuries.

“Team members Songbird, Wiccan, Hulkling, Power Man, White Tiger, and Squirrel Girl infected. Source: nanocameras.”

“Ahh. Do you know how to get rid of it?” 

“Yes.”

Not a moment of hesitation. Roberto admired and feared that at once.

“Well. I’m guessing that whatever-slash-whoever bugged them is gonna try again, so counteract for now, but next time just tell me, don’t counter it. Also, put the way to get rid of them on a data chip and leave it in my office. Okay?”

“Okay.” 

“Thanks, Pod. Appreciate it.”

“No problem.” Pod gave him a thumbs up and he returned it before going to greet his returning team.

~~~

“Nanocams. You’ve gotta be kidding.”

“Wish I was.”

“And you’re just gonna...let them bug us?”

Roberto sighed, snuggling closer to Sam -- he smelled like coconut soap and fire and familiarity. “Whoever’s after us -- they’re gonna need to think that they’re a step ahead of us while we feed them what we want them to see and hear.”

“Personal stuff.”

“Yeah. So, you know, secret bases, lost powers, meds to ‘keep it under control’ -- you know the drill. But if they get the wrong idea-”

“If they come after just me instead of everyone together?”

“If they target _us_.” Roberto tapped Sam’s collarbone, the scattered shadows from the night outside throwing soft moonlight across the room. “I could never live with myself if something happened to you, you _know_ this.”

“How many times do I have to say that I’m-”

“Nigh invulnerable when you’re blasting -- and yet have been shot, blown up, clocked over the head, had your leg broken...need I go on?” Roberto craned his neck, looking up at Sam though the latter rolled his eyes. “It’ll only be for a bit, I promise.”

“I know. I’ll just miss you, ‘s all. I’ll miss this.”

“I’ll miss you too.”

~~~

Rick Jones called for help.

AIM answered.

AIM failed a little bit.

Songbird was gone, as he’d expected. So was Hawkeye, though he’d been a rogue agent to the end. Wiccan, Hulkling, and Squirrel Girl -- out. Just Power Man, White Tiger (though she’d lost her powers), and Pod left.

Roberto remembered Ava coming to him after the fight in Italy, mask in her hands and body language reading nervous, tense, anxious. He remembered that she sat stiffly in the chair he offered before blurting, “Am I fired?”

“What?”

“I-I don’t have powers. I-”

“Aren’t you still a highly trained martial artist? Full Avengers Academy training?”

“I-well, yes, but-”

“Ava. You remember M-Day, right?”

“Yes? What does that have to do with this?”

Roberto remembered that he’d sighed then, burdened with memories of the past. “My teammate -- my _sister_ \-- was depowered on M-Day and she still led our squad. Into a lot of ass-kicking scenarios, might I add. Now, if you want out, Ava, I’ll give you an out, but if you want to stay in?”

He’d grinned at her. “You’re still in. Are you still the White Tiger?”

She beamed -- like the White Tiger was the only thing in her life -- and Roberto reminded himself to follow up with her later on. “Yes. Yes, yes, thank you!”

~~~

Surprisingly enough, the giant robot mind meld was not the weirdest thing he’d ever had happen to him.

The training Xuyen had given him and the shields she’d left in his brain kept most of his secrets behind closed doors, so to speak, and though he was careful to let enough out to make his team feel as if he was sharing the same. 

Then again, there was so much interpersonal drama that Roberto wasn’t sure they were paying attention -- either to him or the giant monster. 

He caught the tail end of Ava’s argument with Victor, he felt/heard Aikku, Pod, and Toni somewhere, but before he could parse out what they were saying or what was happening, he felt the old tightness in his chest again.

_Need to remember to talk to Hank about the dosages._

“Roberto! Don’t go offline, we need all of us for this!”

_Ow. _

_Ow. _

_Ow. _

The casing shook and Roberto shook his head, trying to clear it. “We can win this, team. We _can_. So let’s do it. Everything is for a reason.”

~~~

The Savage Land was preferable to AIM island, if he was being honest -- warmer, for starters, bigger, for another.

And, of course, there was Sam.

He listened to what SHIELD said about him in the comfort of their own base and tried not to let it sting -- Roberto heard Maria Hill say, “because Roberto da Costa’s always been halfway to a heel turn,” and frowned.

Behind him, Sam grunted. “Wasn’t that what Xavier said?”

“Yeah, something like that. The thing I read -- I told you about that, right? -- right after I gave you the concussion during soccer. The bit about being worried that I’d turn out just like my old man.”

“Hmm.” 

“Did I tell you the funny part?” He shot Sam a side glance, guessing and second guessing at what _friends_ do, what they were like before all the truth was out, and grinned. “The part where Xavier was like ‘I’m glad he’s friends with Sam, ‘cause Sam’s a good influence?”

“You didn’t tell me that part.” Sam laughed. “Well, here we are. Surviving the experience, so I guess I was a good influence?”

“You fought the government before I did!”

“Other than that.”

~~~

The entire plan was pulled off spectacularly, all things considered.

Sure, there was a bit where it was touch and go, but overall, Roberto thought it was an excellent effort on all ends. The Maker was relatively safe (until next time, he supposed, as there was always a next time), and for the last time, his team met in the Savage Land’s conference room.

“Okay, okay. Attention.” Roberto cleared his throat. “So. Aikku, thanks again for the data chip -- it’s because of you that I can now declare us all nanocam free.” 

He raised his glass in a toast and was gratified to see Aikku smile just a little bit, even though the rest of his team wasn’t as happy.

“Nanocams?”

“Don’t worry about it. So, in return for not declaring us internationally wanted terrorists, I cut a deal with the US government. In the next 24 hours, we’re going to take down every AIM splinter group there is.”

By now, they knew better than to question him out loud, and Roberto was glad they didn’t. “This is probably the last mission, so I’d like you all to know that it was a pleasure working with you, even if some of the ‘working with you’ was ‘lying slightly to you.’ I’ve got a new plan in store, so if you want to come back, we’ll find a place for you -- if not, I wish you luck and happiness with whatever your future holds.”

He cleared his throat into the awkward silence that followed and Roberto wished suddenly that Sam had given the speech. He was pretty good at speeches. 

Ah, well. There was a mission to complete.

“Angela, right? Angela del Toro?”

“Yes.”

“Nice to meet you. You good for a mission?”

She didn’t smile -- she bared her teeth. “Yes.”

“Excellent. Here’s the file -- White Tiger squared, take a nap and then head out. 24 hours is a long time. Have fun while you’re at it. Dr. Brashear, Dr. Ho, was it one or both of you who wanted active field duty?”

“I do.” 

“Yes, please.”

“Alright. Dr. Positron, you’re with Power Man. Rescue, you’re with Aikku -- though, both of you, keep an eye on the power levels of the inner Pod suit, okay? Stay safe, everyone.”

They took the files and followed the White Tigers out, leafing through the papers he’d prepared and talking quietly amongst themselves, and Roberto grimaced. Hard apology time.

“Hulkling -- er, Billy, what are you calling yourself these days?”

“No idea. Names are fine, though.”

“Cool. Firstly, I want to say, again -- you too, Squirrel Girl -- that I’m sorry for pushing you all through a portal into the desert. Even if things are for a good cause, it’s not always the best option. Sorry.”

“‘S alright.”

“Thanks. One more present, though.” He handed Teddy the last folder and grinned. “Have fun, and I’ll see you around.”

“For sure. See ya.” 

“And, finally.” He turned to the remaining members of his team and opened his mouth to talk before he was rudely cut off by Songbird.

“Roberto, sorry, but did you hear? The prediction from that Inhuman guy?”

“Oh, the one where I die?”

She stared at him incredulously. “Okay, you got me. _How_ in the hell do you know about _that_?”

“Eh. I have my sources.” Roberto grinned at her and shuffled the papers still in his hands. “This is about that, actually. Squirrel Girl, these are yours-”

“There’s four of them.”

“Yes -- sorry to make you into the messenger, but two of those are for those two gentlemen that you know. Chipmunk Hunk, Koi Boi-with-an-I? And the extra is for your friend, Nancy?”

“Oh, cool! What’s it to?”

“My funeral. Melissa, here you go -- is it too much to ask you to do the eulogy?”

Melissa stared at the invitation in her hands as if it was toxic. “I-wouldn’t you want someone else? One of the New Mutants?”

Roberto exchanged a glance with Sam. “Well, Warlock’s not here -- he already got his invite and he’s giving the others theirs -- and trust me, Melissa, you’re the best person for the job. Mostly because I don’t want my eulogy being, you know, a highlight reel of my most embarrassing moments from when I was fourteen to now.”

“Which is what it absolutely will be if any of the New Mutants get to do it,” Sam added, snickering. “‘S also why I’m not doing it.”

Melissa nodded slowly, smiling at them before making her way to the exit. “I’ll, uh, work on my speechwriting skills. It’s been a little while.”

“We can only hope it’s a little while longer before you’ll need them again.”

Doreen waved and skipped to meet her at the exit, the door closing behind them with a serious-sounding _throom_. 

Roberto breathed a sigh of relief as soon as they were gone. “Finally. Loved the team, but the nanocams just brought everything-”

He didn’t get to finish the sentence, as he recalled, because it was at that exact moment that Sam pulled him close and kissed him hard.

For his part, Roberto enthusiastically kissed him back.

“I missed you,” Sam murmured as they drew apart, leaning his forehead against Roberto’s. “You were right there but I missed you.”

Roberto laughed, Sam’s jawline scratchy against his hands. “I missed you too. I missed this -- missed _us_.”

“I’ll always be with you. You know that, right?”

“I do now.”

Sam hugged him close and sighed. “More to the point, Roberto, while I have your attention-”

“You always have my attention.”

“-you should go sleep.”

“I’ll sleep when I’m dead.”

Sam groaned at the joke and hugged him tighter. “I’m serious. Eat an actual meal, sleep for a little while. Funeral’s not for a little bit. Take a break.”

“Fine. But only because it’s you asking.”


	12. United We Stand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome to half of the word count of the entire damn thing

“A charity gala?”

“Endangered tigers. Trust me, billionaires will find _any_ reason to get together -- how the Hellfire Club was formed, probably.”

“Hmm.” Sam scowled at his reflection, fingers fumbling with the knot of his tie. “How likely is it that there’ll be a fight there?”

“Fairly likely.”

“And we have to wear the suits?”

Roberto laughed, gently turning Sam around until the problem was facing him. “Just for a bit, I promise. And, I mean, it’s not all bad -- you look very handsome, may I say -- and hopefully this will flush out the Skull like Cap thinks it will.”

“Hmm.” 

Roberto squeezed past Sam to look in the mirror, narrowing his eyes at Sam’s reflection when Sam pulled at his collar. “Hey. Too tight?”

“Eh. Just wary, I guess. Feels like too much is going right -- not to doubt your planning skills or anything-”

“No, that’s fine. I mean, my earliest plans were basically ‘I saw Magnum P.I. do it’ so you’re right to be worried. Plus, that’s the X-Men sixth sense.”

“When too much is going right…”

“...it’s not going to last.” Roberto finished his own tie and sighed. “That’s the X-Men.”

“Mmm.” Sam wrapped his arms around Roberto’s waist and sighed, resting his chin on top of Roberto’s head. “I’ll say this for this new squad, though -- significantly less nanocams.”

“Yeah. I hope that lasts.” 

Sam bent down and kissed Roberto’s temple, both of them leaning against each other in the quiet pocket between the explosions and raids that came with the life of the Avengers, and Roberto let himself relax for the first time in months, breathing slowly. 

“How soon do we need to go?” Sam whispered in the still air, and almost on cue, he heard the loud knocking at the bedroom’s door. Both of them groaned.

“Can I take a rain check for this moment?” Sam asked, and Roberto managed a quiet laugh.

“Always. But I hope you know that I will come to collect on that.”

“I was hoping so.”

~~~

“So. I had that meeting with Cap today -- here Cap. Now Cap.”

Sam didn’t bother looking up over his book. “Boring Cap.”

“Yeah. Something’s definitely off.”

“Like ‘alternate dimension’ Steve Rogers, ‘mind controlled’ Steve Rogers, ‘possessed’ Steve Rogers, or ‘Mystique’ Steve Rogers?”

“Not mind controlled, that’s for sure.” Roberto paced the room’s length and back again, gesturing to himself. “He seemed completely fluid and at peace -- and something was super off, so I think we can rule out Mystique, too. She’s better than that.”

“So it’s either alternate dimension or possessed.”

“Yup. Money on alternate dimension -- and if I’m right, dinner’s on you. Do you want to look at the security tapes?” 

“Sure, I’ll give it a look-over. And I bet it’s possessed.”

“Catch.”

Sam scoffed, even as he put his book aside and caught the tablet Roberto tossed. “One, be more careful with this tablet. Two, if he’s possessed, make that dinner and a night out if you’d like.”

“Hmm. A night in, provided I get to choose the movie. And if _you’re_ right, the same for you, as long as it’s not _Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid_ again.”

“It’s a _classic_. You love it too.”

“Hmph.”

Sam studied the footage with careful eyes and Roberto watched him do it, fully aware of their different experiences and viewpoints, trusting that Sam would catch anything he hadn’t.

“He’s overly comfortable probing you,” Sam muttered, scowling. “He doesn’t approve of the techniques Xavier taught us, thinking it’s gonna be a problem -- which it wouldn’t be unless…”

“Unless there’s something involving brainwashing in our near future.”

Sam hit pause on the tablet and raised an eyebrow at Roberto. “I mean, it’s Captain America, who asked _us_ to be Avengers, who has led the Avengers multiple times-”

“Who has also probably been exposed to more weird shit than both of us combined,” Roberto pointed out. “I’m gonna add ‘exposure to harmful substances’ to the betting pool and if that’s it, then we’re having a New Mutants reunion party and splitting the bill.”

“Fine. But for now, there’s not much we can do about it, ‘specially since they gave you a desk job.” Sam waved the tablet and Roberto grudgingly stood up to retrieve it. “You want my two cents?”

“Always.”

“You can’t assign any of us to this, cause it’d be on record, but last time with the Maker, bringing in Warlock as an outside player worked pretty well.”

“If an outside player or a few, who are you thinking?”

“A teleporter to get from point A to point B quickly. A heavy hitter or someone with a healing factor to take and deal back the force -- actually, things like telekinetic shields or force fields might work better. A team leader and strategist. Someone who relies on energy, someone who relies on physical force, a telepath. Sort of standard set up.”

“Alright, I was thinking that, too.” Sam scooted over and Roberto sat down next to him, tapping the tablet against the palm of his other hand before continuing. “Before you ask, we’re not being listened to -- for real this time. For teleporters, I’m thinking Illyana.”

“Sounds good. I’ll text her later.”

“Force or TK shields might be Armor or Dr. Reyes.”

“Cecilia is strictly non-field, I think.”

“Yeah, but she’s a doctor. That might be necessary. Even if not, Armor can be both heavy hitter and physical force -- she’s a little young, though.” 

“So for team leader/strategist, send someone older and more experienced who won’t baby her but won’t send her into needlessly dangerous situations either.” Sam glanced knowingly at Roberto. “You already know who I’m thinking of.”

“Dani,” they said in unison.

“If anyone can do it, Dani can. For energy, I’m thinking of Gambit, Bishop, or Tabby -- telepaths could be Xuyen, Rachel Grey, Psylocke, baby Jean, or, I dunno, maybe Hank can pull someone out of the past again.”

“I hope you’re joking.”

“For now.” Roberto gave him a strained smile and Sam rolled his eyes, though affection still lingered in his smile. 

“I think baby Jean and Rachel are busy, but I’ll text Xuyen. Plus, we know that she, Yana, and Dani can work together already.”

“Yup.”

“Okay.” Sam pulled a notepad from the nightstand’s drawer and scribbled down a list of names. “Teleporter, Yana. Heavy hitter, Armor and/or Cecilia. Team leader, Dani. Telepath, Xuyen. Did we decide on an energy hitter?”

“Don’t think so. I feel like Tabby would drive Armor up the wall so I’m leaning towards Gambit or Bishop.”

“Hope they’re not busy.” Sam finished his list and showed it to Roberto. “Any last thoughts?”

“Just that I hope this works.”

~~~

“Team one, do you copy?”

“We copy. How long are we going to sit around?”

Roberto sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Apparently we’re needed everywhere except here -- I know it sucks, but Captain America is the director of SHIELD and he says stay put.”

Disgruntled complaints filtered through the speaker and Roberto shrugged. “You’ll know things as soon as I do.”

He tapped his earpiece. “Nines?”

“I hate the damn name, Roberto.” Dani sounded worried, no matter how she tried to mask it, and he sighed again.

“Told you already why we’re using it. Max security and stuff, things that they know and whatever. Nines isn’t being used. What’s the situation?”

“Well, we’re needed pretty much everywhere so we’re laying low where you told us to -- but everything happening at once kinda makes me think that this whole thing is more than it seems. How’s Sam?”

“I was just about to check. Cannonball?”

One of the screens in his array buzzed and Sam’s voice came through the speakers, buzzing slightly. “It’s bad up here, V. Really bad -- no wonder they called for me. The new Quasar’s doin’ really well but it’s not long before -- aw, hell, she’s gonna get _eaten_-”

“Sam?” 

The feed crackled again and showed the video above, and Roberto inhaled sharply. “Sam! Get out of there!”

Onscreen, the Chitauri dragon moved closer, needle-sharp teeth the size of baseball bats bristling, and Roberto felt all the old fears wash over him again. It was like every time they’d fought Sentinels and Purifiers and SHIELD and Reignfire all over again, watching Sam put himself in harm’s way for the sake of others.

“Quasar’s right there! If I don’t, she’ll-”

Sam reached for her and the feed cut out as the dragon exploded, the dead buzzing of the monitor the only sound in the mission center for a second, except for Roberto’s unsteady breathing.

“Cannonball?”

No response. 

“Come in, Cannonball.”

Nothing.

“Sam?”

Silence.

“Roberto…?”

He ignored Dani, instead punching commands into his module. “Captain Marvel?”

“Can you talk later?” Carol sounded strained -- with good reason, he supposed somewhere in the back of his mind, but he didn’t spare thought or sympathy to it. 

“No. I sent up one of mine to help you -- do you have eyes on Cannonball?”

“Uh, not right now. He was by Quasar last I saw him but it’s a mess up here, Citizen V. After we’re done, I’ll look around for him. For now, though, no visual on Cannonball. Over and out.”

She hung up and he closed his eyes, a shiver running down his entire body as he replayed it in his mind, over and over again. “Larry.” 

“Yeah, boss?”

“Prep the field team for space. The General can’t hulk out yet so he’s going to need armor -- tell Red Team to prep for New York City. Brief me on the way, and-”

“Roberto.”

The figure on the screen was larger than life, both in image and in Roberto’s own sense, something itching the back of his brain. Something was very wrong.

(He tried not to think of the bet he’d made with Sam.)

“Steve…?”

“In this situation, it’s Director Rogers. I thought we’d been through this, son. I thought we had a measure of trust.”

Roberto swallowed his instinctual responses (_I’m not your son,_ he wanted to shout) but it was harder than it should have been. “Steve, you heard what’s happening -- we’re needed in New York-”

“And you’re needed in orbit. And you’re needed in Sokovia. But where you’re needed most is right where you are.”

Roberto frowned as Steve continued.

“What happens if -- when -- the fourth front opens? When they go after Congress? Or the White House? Who’ll stop them? I know what I’m doing, Roberto. I’ve been given full emergency powers under the SHIELD act-”

“They activated that?”

“They did. Right now, I run America. And I promise you, every hero is where I need them to be. Avengers Assemble, Bobby. That means you stay put.”

He ended the call and Roberto clenched his fists. “Nines. You get that?”

“Sure did. Where do you think he wants us _least_? ‘Cause that’ll be the bottom of it all.”

“Wherever he is.” Roberto spoke quietly, too quiet for Larry to hear him. “Something reeks about this emergency power thing -- get to it.”

“You got it. And, Roberto?”

“Yeah?” 

“You stay safe ‘til we get back.” Dani sniffed over the comms and Roberto refused to think about why. “We’ll find him together, okay?”

“See you when you get back.” 

The feed cut out and he wrenched the earbud out and shoved it in his pocket. 

“Sir? Good news. Alpha Flight got in contact. They managed to boot up the planetary shield.”

Roberto nodded, carefully compartmentalizing the missions in his head. “Patch me through to Danvers, Larry, will you?”

Her report mostly missed him, except for the little bit where she answered his question about Sam -- “No, I’m sorry. No eyes on Cannonball or Quasar yet.”

He turned away, even as she kept talking. “We’ll keep looking -- we’ll search the whole sector for them -- but at this point, you should prepare yourself, Citizen V. He may not be coming back.”

“End communication.” 

Roberto turned away from the screens, stuffing his hands in his pockets and bowing his head, willing the tears back. He couldn’t be dead, not now, not when they had a bet up in the air and a reunion party to have maybe and his mother and siblings and-

“Sir? Incoming transmission.”

“Give me a moment.” Roberto’s voice cracked and he wished it hadn’t.

“It-It can’t wait, sir.”

“My best friend is dead.” It came out quite a bit more forcefully than Roberto had meant it to but he didn’t apologize. “A moment. Please.”

“...it really can’t wait, sir.”

Roberto muttered curses under his breath as he strode to where Larry stood. “All right, Larry. Let’s hear it-”

The screen changed and Roberto heard a lyrical voice. “Your self has been unshackled. You feel the calmness wash over you. You feel it make you still and present. You are perfectly content. There is no need to fight, no need to be afraid, you no longer need to struggle. Doctor Faustus is your master now.”

Roberto trembled. “I...what?”

He blinked and it was like being in a memory again. Professor Xavier sat before them, a chalkboard in his hands, and drew a triangle in red chalk on the board. 

“Any attack can be defended against ahead of time,” the Professor Xavier in his mind said serenely.

Roberto gritted his teeth. “Red triangle. Red triangle.”

He launched himself at the comms button and slammed it like his life depended on it. “Red triangle! Citizen V to all units -- we’re under hypnotic attack! Red triangle protocol is a go!”

He heard the ship shudder around him as his commands were carried out, as AIM locked down the helicarrier and evacuated, but still, the hairs on the back of his neck rose when he heard a metallic clank behind him.

He turned, hands halfway up. “Larry. Red triangle, Larry.”

“What, so everyone not loyal to you is brainwashed? Hail Hydra, you insufferable ass.”

~~~

Roberto wondered distantly what the gun blast had been made of.

Whatever it was, it was working.

He drifted in a fugue state, glimpses and bits from the real world leaking through his consciousness and dripping down the walls, pooling not far from where he sat, in a cold room that looked suspiciously like the lab in New Mexico. 

He saw a flash of blonde hair and heard laughter, a voice he hadn’t heard in years. 

“Julianna?”

Someone else moved in the shadows and he tried to move, though it felt as if he was moving through barely-liquefied caramel. “Hello?”

“My son.” Emmanuel da Costa appeared before him, not there one second and there the next, as if Roberto had perhaps blinked him into existence. “I told you to be strong -- where are you now? I am so very disappointed in you, Roberto. If only you chose a different path, if you had followed me, then perhaps this wouldn’t have happened.”

“‘M not like you, Father.” Roberto felt cold, suddenly. “Never will be.”

Emmanuel disappeared, replaced by Xavier, as prim and proper as he’d been in life. “I’m worried about you, Mr. da Costa. Your father’s ascension into the Hellfire Club has made me wonder if you will walk the same path.”

This wasn’t actually Xavier, Roberto supposed -- the real Xavier was never this upfront. But still, he rose to the bait. “You’re wrong about me, Professor.”

Xavier evaporated, reforming into Magneto, his old red suit pressed and neat. “Roberto. Recent behavior has led me to reconsider your place here, with the rest of the New Mutants. As long as you act in this way, I cannot allow you to stay here.”

“What? No, wait -- sir, please-”

Magneto disappeared and Roberto wondered who he might expect next.

“Hello, brother.”

The sluggishness of the environment disappeared and Roberto turned slowly, face-to-face with someone who looked very much like him, the only difference being the distinctly sharper version of his own smile.

“Reignfire.”

“In the metaphorical flesh. Oh, don’t look at me like that. You always knew I was here somewhere, that if I came from you the ingredients were all there already.”

“Stop -- stop talking like that. Sounds weird.” Roberto ran a hand through his hair and grimaced.

“If you insist.” Reignfire leaned back on his hands and raised his eyebrows at him. “Quite the problem you’re in right now, though. Don’t you wish you could have a bit of that power I did, so long ago?”

“No. Never.”

“Really? Not even a little bit?” He cackled and Roberto flinched. “You’re nearly dead and you still insist on playing the hero? To turn down the power in the face of everything awful in the world?”

“It doesn’t matter anymore.” Roberto sighed. “I was shot, I know that. I’m probably in a cell somewhere and I’ll die here.”

“Maybe,” Reignfire agreed, powering up and floating upside down above him. “Kinda sucks that the Nazis win, though. But if you’d let me _out_...”

Something running down the walls caught Roberto’s eye, and he turned -- a flash of pink hair. 

Toni?

“C’mon, brother. You can’t do this without me.” Reignfire grinned at him, teeth ghastly white against the familiar blackness of his powered up form, and Roberto glared at him.

“No. I-If she’s out there, there’s a chance. I’ll win without you. You’re not _real_.”

“Eh. Not to anyone else. I’ll always be with you, though.” Reignfire clicked his tongue and dissolved, slower than the rest, and Roberto was alone again.

_I’ll always be with you. _

Roberto smelled coconuts and fire and remembered the beach, at sunset. Out of the corner of his eye he saw blue-grey eyes and a smile but when he turned to look, he blinked and it -- the room, the drips on the walls, the briefest glimpse of Sam -- was all gone.

Now, this was reality. Searing pain and a headache. 

“Toni…?”

_My mouth feels like I gargled with the entire ocean,_ he wanted to say.

_Where are we? What happened?_ he wanted to ask.

_Where’s Sam?_

“It’s me, boss. Hang on.” 

He heard shouting and winced, trying to focus. Everything was sliding into clear focus now, like adjusting the knobs on a microscope, but his head hurt like _hell_ and his heart hurt worse. 

_Something in the gun,_ he wanted to groan. Something that reacted badly to whatever-the-hell. Some reason why his powers were flaring up.

“The idea is out there now,” he heard Toni say, and everything clicked, the clarity coming back to him.

“The idea is alive.”

~~~

“Ow!”

“If you stopped struggling, Mr. da Costa, this wouldn’t hurt so _much_-”

“Ahh! Hey!”

Dani laughed from where she sat, though the stress lines around her eyes didn’t go anywhere. “I know I already wished you luck, Cecilia, but you might need a bit more.”

“Luck’s got nothing to do with it. Roberto da Costa, you have a _hole_ in your _head_ that was left there by a _gun_ of unknown origin, so you _will_ hold still while I examine it or else I will _make_ you hold still.” Dr. Cecilia Reyes glowered at him and Roberto tried for a pleading face. 

“Can’t you just knock me out?”

“She said you needed to be conscious so you could describe what happened on the inside.” Illyana had gotten popcorn from somewhere and was crunching it obnoxiously in the corner, and Roberto rolled his eyes.

“I can’t just tell you later?”

“What later? When we’re there or after, when you’re so caught up in Sam that you forget to breathe?” Xuyen laughed and Roberto tried to smile through the fear hanging in his mind, the fear that their tip-off from Warbird was wrong and that they were flying through space in the wrong direction.

There was a worse option. Roberto shunted it out of his mind.

“Ow!”

Of course, Dr. Reyes happened to be extremely effective at helping disperse those thoughts, if only because her poking at his head made him focus only on the pain. “I’m _sorry,_ Roberto, but it’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before -- the white streak, the wound, anything. Dr. Ho, what exactly happened?”

“It looked like his powers were overloading, so I built him a regulator. Er, sort of.” Toni looked supremely uncomfortable and out of place, but when Roberto shot her a smile she smiled back, albeit tiredly. “It’s made of chewing gum and TV parts, though -- I can update the design-”

“No need for now -- evolutionarily, most mutants come with the safety settings on. The ability to control their powers to a certain extent and for their powers to protect them. Following?”

“Yes?”

“Good. An example of this at work would be Cannonball. His force field makes him invulnerable because he originally couldn’t control his turns as well as he can now, or so I’ve heard. So he constantly ran into walls.”

“You’ve heard accurately,” Dani supplied.

“Mhm. So it’s a self-defense mechanism. If Hayseed hadn’t been able to shield himself, he’d have died before he was old enough to vote. The exceptions to this rule so far are Cyclops, who can’t control his optic blasts due to a brain injury, and Rogue, who...remains to be seen.”

“Medical exception?”

“Something like that. Xuyen, would you pass me the bandages?”

Roberto sighed in relief as he felt the gentle pressure on his forehead, even as Dr. Reyes kept talking. 

“So, the shot from the gun pushed everything out of whack, hence why he overloaded, but thanks to your regulator, he should be able to self regulate now.” The bed hummed as it raised Roberto to a sitting position and Dr. Reyes studied him carefully. “How’re you feeling, Sunspot?”

“Oh, didn’t you hear, Doctor?” Illyana interrupted before Roberto could answer. “He’s got a fancy _new_ codename now. The Avengers changed you, Bobby.”

Roberto blew a raspberry at her and she laughed at him, the others laughing too (except for Toni, who looked back and forth awkwardly). “I don’t really have a good response for that except I didn’t choose the codename, the government did.”

“Ew.”

“Silver lining,” Xuyen remarked, adjusting his bandages slightly. “I’m glad Sam stayed with you, at least. He’s a good influence -- and you’re good together.”

“Finally.” 

“Hey.” Roberto narrowed his eyes at Dani but she only laughed. “I didn’t see _you_ tripping over yourself to tell Xuyen your feelings.”

“People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones,” Dani replied, laughing. “We were together before you were.”

Illyana snorted with laughter and Roberto turned to face her. “And you -- how long did it take? Ten, twelve years?”

“We were-”

“-ten years?”

“The wedding-”

“-were literal _soulmates,_”

“Don’t mind them,” Roberto heard Cecilia say to Toni, even as the discussion grew more heated. “They haven’t seen each other in a while and they basically grew up together. I don’t understand what they’re going on about either.”

“You were _soulmates_!” Roberto howled. “She _held_ your _soulsword_ and that’s not even a euphemism! And it took you _twelve years!_” 

Illyana shouted something unintelligible but their conversation was abruptly cut off as the ship rocked, shouting from the decks cutting them all off and prodding them into action -- all except for Roberto, who, upon trying to leap from his bed, immediately slammed into a force field.

“Ouch.”

“No fighting for you, Mr. da Costa. You’re my patient and you can get information relayed down here, understand?” Cecilia Reyes planted her hands on her hips and glared at him, and Roberto felt himself wilt under her gaze.

“Okay, Doc.”

“Good. Dr. Ho, you’re quite the competent one -- can you go relay it to us so that Roberto here doesn’t throw himself at the danger like he usually does?”

“Of course, Dr. Reyes.” She gave Roberto a little wave and followed Xuyen out the door, closing it gently behind her even as the screen crackled and came to life. 

“Self/friend/Cecilia? Self/friend/Bobby?”

“Hey, Doctor. ‘Sup, Bobby?”

Roberto winced, rubbing his arm where it had slammed into Dr. Reyes’ shields. “Hey, Doug. Hey, Warlock. What’s going on out there?”

“Well, we were attacked by Chicago gangsters in ships that look like cars, but then Warlock and I went out to talk to them and they got kinda freaked when they saw ‘Lock, so they’re talking. Apparently a ship came this way from the auction house you guys raided? They call the planet Kral X but the people there call it Glenbrook.”

Roberto tried to process the words. _ Chicago gangsters? _ “Glenbrook.”

“Yup. I mean, we may as well start there.”

“Thanks for the update. Anything serious?”

“Nope.” Doug looked behind him, checking with someone off screen before his attention returned to the transmission. “Those guys aren’t lying, and I’m ninety-five percent sure that Sam was at that auction house, so you can relax a bit, Bobby. Let Dr. Reyes do her thing so you’ll be okay to come up on deck to get Sam when we get to Kral X, okay?”

“Fine.”

“Cool. Thanks again, Doc. See you guys later.”

The transmission ended with a beep and Roberto sighed, Cecilia coming to stand beside him and pat his shoulder. 

“It’ll be okay, Roberto. Sam’s probably out there wondering when you’re coming to get him. He’ll be okay and so will you.”

“Thanks, Dr. Reyes.”

“No problem. I’m here to help.”

~~~

True to the word, Cecilia had him ready to go by the time they entered Kral X’s atmosphere, the outside sensors claiming it was breathable enough by human standards for them to gather in the open bay. From the air, it looked like an idyllic little American town, almost familiar to Roberto.

Dani groaned. “Oh, I recognize this. Kinda like how the last planet was based on gangsters -- this one’s based on an old cartoon. I used to see reruns all the time.”

“I know which one you’re talking about.” Toni nodded. “What was it -- the ‘Richie Redwood Show,’ right?”

“Hey, General. Away from the bay doors, please.” Roberto pulled at the collar of his white shirt and grimaced. “Doctor’s orders.”

“Squared,” Cecilia added.

“We still don’t know how badly Hydra messed with your powers.” Toni inched closer to the door and peered out. “Doing anything right now-”

“Da Costa, Docs, c’mon. I hated this cartoon when I was a kid.”

“You were a kid?” Doug muttered in the back.

“Now I get to beat it up. Let me have this.” He jumped and Dani sighed.

“Who wants to go after the crazy old man?”

“I’m fine, I said!” the general called from where he was falling. “I still got a full twenty minutes left-”

He screamed and Roberto ran for the door, jumping before anyone could tell him not to before belatedly remembering that he’d recently been shot in the head. 

Whoops. 

He felt the energy of this alien sun and grinned. “Still got it.”

Roberto caught the general and laid him gently on the too-perfect grass lawn they’d been over. “General, are you trying to use an actual swear word? Are things that bad?”

The general sputtered at him. “Fuh -- Forty minutes this time, jackass. Hour of power…”

“Well, not to be _that_ guy, but both doctors did say this might happen. Sorry, General, but your career as a superhero might be-”

“You.”

Roberto turned. A kid in a letterman jacket stood between two amalgamations of the X-Men -- Super Skrulls, he guessed -- and scowled at him. “You are _not_ how things should be.”

Something glowed behind him and one of the Super Skrulls’ eyes glazed over, the traditional pink halo around their head gleaming before he turned and punched his fellow before keeling over.

“What? Get up! Fight! We’re Skrulls!”

_Ah, that would explain it. _

The kids cowering behind him didn’t seem overly inclined to fight, flinching and hiding their faces in each other’s shoulders, and so Roberto helped the General to his feet and ignored them, even as Letterman Jacket growled. 

“Fine. I’ll do it myself. I’m the son of Don Scarpone -- you think I can’t flense a human and drink the goo?”

“Ew,” Roberto heard Dani mutter from where she and the others had landed, and he stifled a laugh. 

“When I assume my battle-form, they’ll wish they never -- they never -- I-”

He looked down at his hands, betrayed by himself. “Why can’t I change…?”

“Sorry, Richie. Looks like we’re all in character today.”

People was coming out of a tunnel behind him, but Roberto hardly noticed the speaker, because one of them was wearing the _worst_ tweed suit he’d seen in his entire life but he looked so much like-

“Rocket legs come with a forcefield,” Roberto heard, and it felt like a second sun hung in the sky, like he could do anything. He heard Dani gasp and saw her reach for Xuyen’s hand, and for a second he felt like crying again. “And your dungeon’s got a new skylight. Guess we’ll have to throw you in a real jail, if there is one out here…”

Something else was happening, something between the Skrull kid and Letterman Jacket, and yet Roberto couldn’t bring himself to pay attention. He had a black eye and a horrible vest but Sam was there, standing before him, well and hale and _alive_.

The second ship came down from the sky, bridge extending and Warbird walking down the planks. “Richie Redwood? You’re coming with us.”

“We’ll give you all some time,” Toni whispered, patting him on the shoulder before moving away to help, her sculpted force-field at the ready. Cecilia, Doreen, Aikku, and the General followed, until it was just the New Mutants on the field.

Dani was the first to move, throwing herself into a hug and half laughing, half crying when Sam picked her up and spun her around. “You gave us the _worst_ scare, Kentucky -- can’t tell if I want to hug you or slap you-”

“Glad you chose the hug, chief.” He laughed, too, and Roberto took a shaky step forward even as Illyana joined the hug, nearly knocking him over.

Xuyen reached out and steadied Roberto, smiling knowingly. He smiled back, the sounds of Doug and Warlock actually bowling Sam over in the background, all five of them shrieking with laughter at this point.

“We’re glad you’re okay,” Xuyen said, offering Sam a hand. He accepted her help up and hugged her gently, smiling when she said something that Roberto couldn’t hear.

She stepped aside and Roberto felt like he was falling. “Sam…”

He didn’t get a chance to finish the sentence (though he wasn’t sure what he’d have finished it with) -- Sam swept him up and Roberto buried his face in his shoulder (the tweed shirt smelled as horrible as it looked but under it all, he smelled coconuts and fire again), trying desperately to convince himself that he wasn’t crying. 

Oh, what the hell. He was definitely crying.

“Never do that again, okay?” he choked out, sniffling. 

“You know I won’t leave you,” Sam whispered back, hugging tighter. “It’s only ever been you.”

Roberto coughed out a laugh between the tears, pulling away enough to kiss Sam, hard, tears flowing freely down his cheeks. He heard Illyana snort with laughter but ignored her, every cell in his body singing that Sam was _here, alive, safe_.

Dani coughed. “Hey, is now a bad time to tell you that you’re both floating?”

Sam pulled away and looked down. “Oh. My bad.”

Roberto looked down and laughed shakily, still holding on to Sam’s neck like his life depended on it. “It’s fine, it’s all good -- we know I can fly, anyways.”

“Which reminds me.” Dani grinned wolfishly at Roberto before turning to Sam as he touched down again. “Guess what your boyfriend did while you were down here?”

“What?”

“Dani, please don’t-”

“He jumped out of the bay doors before we learned he could fly. Because he was shot in the head and that messed a bit with his mutation.” Dani glowered at him and Roberto tried for a placating shrug.

“Oh. I was wondering where the white streak came from.” Sam studied it carefully the rest of the sentence hit home and he leveled Roberto with a steely look. “You jumped out of the ship?”

“The general was falling! There was no time -- Danielle, you _will_ answer for this.” 

She laughed, holding hands with Xuyen and practically skipping away. “Not today! See you guys back on the ship!”

Doug slapped Sam on the back and followed them, Illyana and Warlock walking beside him, and Sam sighed. “If you’re gonna do nothing but throw yourself out of planes and get _shot_, Bobby, I guess I’m gonna have to hang around you forever.”

“Oh, no,” Roberto teased, resting his forehead on Sam’s shoulder. “That’s too bad.”

“Don’t get too comfortable,” Sam advised, standing up straighter. “The auction where that crazy guy bought me -- Quasar was there, too. My blast shield must’ve shielded her from the initial explosion but-”

“Hey, hey. Calm down for a second -- she’s a Superguardian or whatever. Warbird contacted us and sponsored this little trip and there are other Shi’ar people getting her right now. Everything’s okay, for like, once.”

“Ah.” Sam relaxed again and sighed, his breath ruffling Roberto’s hair. “Alright. Is it too much to ask if we can go home now, then?”

“Not much at all, love. Not for you.”


	13. Of All Things

“You look serious. Something wrong?”

Roberto gave a dramatic sigh, privately bidding his memories goodbye ‘til next time, before turning back to where the bed sat. “Nothing _wrong,_ per se, I was just thinking that this whole thing-”

“The reunion part of Krakoa, you mean.”

“Yeah. It’d be more fun with you.”

Sam raised both his eyebrows at him, looking over the rims of his reading glasses. “I did. I came to the New Mutants reunion dinner and I’ve gone to see Paige a bit.”

“Still.” 

Sam raised his arms in an unspoken offer and Roberto accepted, sinking into Sam with his head on Sam’s chest. Roberto felt his arms settle around him again, the book he was currently into resting gently on his back. 

“According to Magneto, we have the rest of our lives,” Sam murmured, his heart beating steady and slow. Roberto smiled, suddenly drowsy as if he’d taken a physical journey into the past.

“I guess we do.”

He felt Sam kiss the top of his head gently and heard the pages of the book turn. “The rest of our lives to be with friends and family, Bobby. I feel like they could spare a bit for me to finish this book, don’t you think?”

“Mmm. As long as you don’t object to my company.”

“Never.”

“Oh, good. ‘Cause you know I’m gonna stick around til the end of all things.”

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,” Sam replied serenely. “Goodnight, Roberto.”

“Goodnight, Sam. Love you.”

“Love you too.”


End file.
